Tara Schatzel          

 Labor Support  and Post Partum Doula    

Even as a young girl I have always had a fascination with the miracle of pregnancy and birth. So when a friend of mine who was a labor and delivery nurse told me about being a doula, I knew this was something I needed to do. Over the years I had been watching my friends and attending their births and I finally realized this was my calling.

I found that women and their partners needed a lot of support during pregnancy as well as during labor. My goal as a Birth Doula is
to help educate the mother and her partner, helping them to make informed decisions about their pregnancy and delivery. A woman has many choices and deserves to have the birth experience she desires. A doula can also help facilitate communication with the medical staff and other family members. By providing education a doula can build a woman’s confidence so she can achieve the most
positive birth experience.

I specialize in services to celebrate a woman’s pregnancy, like photography and belly casting. Belly casting is a process where
a woman’s pregnant body is preserved in a plaster casting and decorated. This can then be mounted for wall hanging or closed for a "belly bank".  I have even included siblings with special activities like painting a picture on their mommy's tummy then taking photos to preserve their precious design. The woman’s body during pregnancy is a miraculous beautiful thing and should be celebrated.
I offer my photography skills to capture the birth and preserve the moment that slips by quickly.
I hear often how families lament on missing that opportunity.

In pregnancy, as well as birth, capturing that time in a photograph can be priceless. The birth of a baby is an amazing event and I am truly honored to be able to help with this process. I look forward to helping guide many parents on their journey to becoming families.

DONA Trained Birth and Labor Doula

Maternity Wise Trained Postpartum Doula

HypnoBabies Trained Birth Doula,"HypnoDoula"

Studied " Hands on Methods for Pain Relief " with Susan Rachel Condon CNM ,LMT at the Swedish Institute NYC

Currently pursuing certification with International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA)
for Childbirth Education and Perinatal Fitness